South Park tackles Trump's ICE (cartoon)

(SketchySide) South Park just went nuclear on ICE (and they went all in)

• Help Wanted: Work for ICE, CBP, SA (whites preferred)

Who hates Katy Perry? (Schadenfreude)

How Katy Perry DESTROYED HER CAREER | (a lifetime of bad choices)

(IQ) Let's explore the utter IMPLOSION of pop icon Katy Perry. Strap in, because we’re diving deep into the chaos, the controversies, and the career choices that turned a chart-topping firework into a cautionary tale.

• Chandler Juliet, May 23, 2025; IQ, April 25, 2025; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Dear Abby, my dumb son's a 'Peter Pan'

I don't give a gosh darn whom you date or marry, but get a job to pay for it. Work, Son, commit.

.

I'll marry your son IF you buy us a house, Mom.

DEAR ABBY: I am blessed with two sons who live with me. They are in their mid-20s.

The younger one is an amazing young man. He’s strong, confident but not cocky, and happy. He’s in college, works part-time, and plays in a band, among other things. 

My older son is the opposite. Since he was 16, he’s had countless jobs and is (again) currently unemployed. He has been fired from every single job except one.

• How to lead a good Buddhist life 1: Poisons

Dr. Jordan Peterson: The Peter Pan Syndrome* - Pan prefers kinky Tinkerbell to normal Wendy

You, listen to your Momma, Boy! - *Laughter*

He always has some excuse to blame others for his failings. He thinks he’s smarter than the rest of us, thinks he knows better, etc.

I’ve tried to tell and show him the issue is with HIM, not his previous employers. He refuses to accept responsibility for anything wrong in his life.

I love him, but he is driving me crazy. I want to help him but, honestly, I’m over it. I’ve reached the point where it’s difficult to be civil to him.

The last time he was out of work lasted three months. When I gave him a “drop dead” date to find a job or I was kicking him out of the house, miraculously, he found one in the nick of time.

But won't marriage solve all our problems, Kramer? - Seinfeld and Kramer grow old alone

I'm a Buddist, MOM! - I wish! You're full of it - If you don't get off my back, I'm gonna base jump

We are back at that point again. I hate to do it, but I need him to either straighten up or get out.

No matter what I do, I’m the bad guy — for enabling him or for forcing him out. I would love some advice.

— FED-UP MOM IN FLORIDA

• DEAR THE BOTH OF YA: C'mon, Mom, I have lots on my plate! Pot, porn, pervy dating adventures, my cellphone, chasing chicks, gambling and boozing with my buddies, craft beer sampling, hanging out, smoking the herbage, my retainers, school, um, lots of stuff. And shut the front door, Abby! Who's even writing your column for you?! Get off my back.

(Ego Podcast) Where are you stuck? Answers from the Buddha

You're a lazy bum, dumb!

DEAR MOM: Your son is no longer a child. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet. Give him another deadline to find a job or be out from under your roof.

While he is employed, tell him you expect him to save enough money for a security deposit on a place to live.

Do not expect him to like it or be grateful to you for having subsidized him as long as you have. The biggest favor you can give him now is a chance to grow up....

• Dear Abby: My deadbeat son keeps getting fired from jobs — should I kick him out?
• This is why Gen Z aren't applying for jobs — shocking

Mom, I have Peter Pan Syndrome. Sorry

• Seinfeld; Dear Abby via New York Post, Feb. 23, 2025; Jack Black, "Jeepers Creepers," "Slackers," "Gay Son/Grass Valley Greg," Mr. Show with Bob and David (HBO); Psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson (analysis); Ashley Wells, Dhr. Seven, Shauna Schwartz, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

I want to be a rich, married TradWife (video)

Jessica Burbank, Rising (The Hill); CC Liu, Crystal Q. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Girl Boss-OUT, Trad Wife-IN, new trend among Gen Z sees return to traditional gender roles

(The Hill) Jan. 28, 2024: WASHINGTON, DC. The Heritage Foundation Research Associate Emma Waters weighs in on the "girl boss" versus "trad wife" on social media. Lesbian beauty queen Jessica Burban hosts. Originally aired Jan. 12, 2024. #tradwife #girlboss #women #feminism

I'm a totally unbiased girlboss wannabe at Rising

ABOUT: Rising is a weekday morning show with bipartisan hosts that breaks the mold of morning TV by taking viewers inside the halls of Washington power like never before. The show leans into the day's political cycle with cutting edge analysis from DC insiders who can predict what is going to happen. It also sets the day's political agenda by breaking exclusive news with a team of scoop-driven reporters and demanding answers during interviews with the country's most important political newsmakers. Follow Rising on social media. Website: Hill.TV

Student doing porn to pay tuition ('n luvin it)?

Editors, Wisdom Quarterly; Piers Morgan Show (CNN US-version controlled by CIA) UPDATED

I love it, Piers, I just love it, and I got to pick my own name, "Belle Knox," after a cartoon character and an American killer from Italy who's like totally innocent!

Don't judge me. I'm (in)famous, and isn't that all that really matters in what sex therapist, addiction medicine specialist, and radio/TV host Dr. Drew calls the new Age of Narcissism?

 
Porn-prostitution: new tricks in an old trade

Who you tryin to look at, man?

(March 6, 2014) Duke University student tells Piers Morgan: My porn career is "freeing." The British born Morgan -- soon to be fired host of In The Piers Morgan Show -- talks to pornography actress (but not yet porn "star") "Belle Knox" about her career, women's empowerment [to degrade us all for money], social norms, and society's scorn. More (plus video)

Piers, do you think maybe I'm making a big mistake I'll regret after I graduate from Duke and can't get a job doing anything else because I'm totally typecast, or will I still love it?

Oddly, Hypocrisy is rooted in High Morals

Jeanna Bryner (LiveScience.com)

Good or hypocritical?

Morally upstanding people are the do-gooders of society, right? Actually, a new study finds that a sense of moral superiority can lead to unethical acts, such as cheating. In fact, some of the best do-gooders can become the worst cheats.

 

Stop us if this sounds familiar.

 

When asked to describe themselves, most people typically will rattle off a list of physical features and activities (for example, "I do yoga" or "I'm a paralegal"). But some people have what scientists call a moral identity, in which the answer to the question would include phrases like "I am honest" and "I am a caring person."

 

Shame, you want me to be ashamed? (Mai)

Past research has suggested that people who describe themselves with words such as honest and generous are also more likely to engage in volunteer work and other socially responsible acts. But often in life, the line between right and wrong becomes blurry... More
 

Moral shame [conscience] and moral dread
Wisdom Quarterly (eds.); Ven. Nyanatiloka (COMMENTARY)

"Moral shame and moral dread" are associated with all karmically wholesome consciousness (see Table II). "To be ashamed [or circumspect, conscientious, mindful] of what one ought to be abashed or hesitant about -- ashamed of performing harmful and unwholesome actions (akusala karma): this is called "moral shame" (hiri).

Mara's three daughters tempt Siddhartha*

To be in dread of [averse to, afraid of, put off by] what one ought to be in dread of -- dread of performing harmful and unwholesome deeds (karma): this is called moral dread" (Puggalapaññatti , 79, 80).
 
"Two lucid things, O meditators, protect the world -- moral shame and moral dread. If these two things were not to protect the world then one would respect neither one's mother, nor one's mother's sister, nor one's brother's wife, nor one's teacher's wife...." (AN II, 7). Compare with "lack of moral shame and dread" (ahirika). See Atthasālini Tr. I. pp. 164ff.

• *Mara's "three daughters" are Craving (obsession), Discontentment (ennui), and Lust (passion, addiction).

5 jobs that won't be outsourced

5 careers that are here to stay -- even in a recession
Cherise Asato (Y!)
"We're restructuring the company." "We're heading in a new direction." "We need to cut costs." These are just a few of the lines that have been given to workers who have recently lost their jobs to outsourcing or job relocation. Protect yourself from a similar fate by choosing one of these 5 great-paying careers that can't be outsourced -- even in a recession:

• 1. Automotive technicians and mechanics repair and maintain automobiles, meaning this hands-on work would be pretty hard for someone in another country to do.

Training: A six month or one-year automotive repair certificate program or a two-year associate degree program. Note: Most employers require certification. Perks: A hands-on career working with cars, and according to Salary.com, a $32,100 median expected salary.

• 2. Teachers help children and adolescents develop intellectually and socially through hands-on instruction that can only be done onsite. With the U.S. Census Bureau projecting that some 56 million K-12 students will enroll in the 2009-2010 school year, teaching is a solid job that's here to stay.

Training: To start, earn your bachelor's degree from a teacher education program. If you already have your degree, try a one-year professional development program. Next, get licensed. Most states require it to teach in public schools. In some states, your next step will be to earn a Master's degree in education. Perks: For preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary teachers on a traditional school year schedule: a 10-month work year, 2-month vacations, and median annual earnings of $43,580 to $48,690, according to 2007 figures from the U.S. Department of Labor.

• 3. Physical Therapy Assistants work with physical therapists to assist in the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from injury or illness. The work involves using the power of touch to heal and inspire, which means that this work must be done locally.

Training: An accredited, two-year or four-semester physical therapist assistant program. Some states may have licensing requirements. Most states require that you pass a state exam and receive CPR and First Aid certification. When you're starting out, you'll most likely need to complete a minimum number of fieldwork hours. Perks: The satisfaction of knowing you've made a difference in another person's life and, according to recent Salary.com numbers, the potential to earn over $47,000 a year.

• 4. Electricians light up our lives by installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems and components. With work done onsite at our homes, offices, and factories, electrician jobs cannot be sent overseas.

Training: An electrician apprenticeship program, which can be found at many public and private vocational/technical schools. Note: In most states, electricians must also be licensed. Perks: A respected 9-to-5 job that pays well, over $50,000 per year on average, according to Salary.com.

• 5. Veterinary Assistants assist veterinarians in handling pets and nonfarm animals, administering medicine, and taking X-rays. Most animals can't travel far for their health care!

Training: A one-year veterinary assistant certificate program. Perks: The chance to work closely with animals, and according to Salary.com, a median expected salary of more than $26,000.

Wisdom Network News: Midlife Crises Galore

T.B. Macpherson

Male midlife crisis from a Jungian point of view (sporeflections.wordpress.com)

Midway through a promising career as a world-renonwed Buddhist teacher, British born Ajahn Brahm, took it upon himself to ordain women in the Theravada tradition -- a first for a senior monk in Thailand's forest tradition. The fallout continues in spite of the fact that there are now fully ordained Buddhist nuns in various Theravadin countries:

Thai Buddhist council severs ties over women

BANGKOK (Monsters&Critics) - Thailand's Sangha Supreme Council, which governs the country's Buddhist monkhood, has severed all ties with an Australian monastery for ordaining two Buddhist nuns, media reports said Tuesday. "The expulsion took effect Monday after the council had ruled to cancel the monastery's status as a branch of Wat Nongpapong in Ubon Ratchathani province," The Nation online news site reported. More>>



It's never too late to change your mind spiritually -- or to change it back again -- as this story from India illustrates:

Over 1,700 reconverted to Hinduism

SURAT CITY - In its offensive against conversion of tribals to Christianity, the Maharashtra-based Shree Sampraday sect claimed to have reconverted 1,747 people back to Hinduism in Surat on Monday. A shadow has, however, been cast on the event with Surat district magistrate taking note of the organizers’ failure to seek permission for reconversion as stipulated in the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003. The camp to reconvert tribals, who had embraced Christianity was held in the city for the first time and nearly 5,000 people from Maharashtra and Gujarat participated in the ceremony. More>>

Need to portray Hinduism’s human face
CHENNAI - Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa here on Thursday refuted perceptions that Hindu spiritual organizations lacked social consciousness and that they lacked commitment to social service. He said networking and showcasing their social activities was the best way to demolish such myths. “This myth (about Hinduism) needs to be demolished in order to gain the rightful place for these organizations in the global order of things,” he said at a function to inaugurate the first ever “Hindu Spiritual and Services Fair-2009,” by over 100 Hindu spiritual organizations across India. More>>

Former Security Advisor predicts two wars for India
"In the next four years Pakistan and China may attack us." The former Indian National Security Advisor, Brajesh Mishra, has predicted that in next four years, India may have to defend itself from Pakistan and China at the same time. Mishra said that China's present threat to India is more dangerous than in 1962, when the countries clashed in a war, and that Indian politicians were to blame for India's weak defense position. He pointed out at a book-release function in New Delhi that there has been a change in China's stand regarding Kashmir, which could lead to a bigger threat. More>>

• Officials: Suspected U.S. missile strike kills in Pakistan
• Security in Afghanistan is at a new low after a grim year
• In Sri Lanka, tsunami anniversary inspires mixed reactions

But what midlife crisis would be complete without an impulse for sexual indiscretion or outright misconduct? Divorce or infidelity is usually enough. Yet, from time to time people, even monks, get in much more trouble.

• One year jail term for pedophile Briton in Cambodia
  PHNOM PENH (AFP) — A Cambodian court on Friday sentenced a British man to one year in prison for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl. Judge Ke Sakhan of Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted 51-year-old Gareth Ashley Corbett, arrested in the popular seaside town of Sihanoukville in July, of committing indecent acts. He handed Corbett the one-year jail term and ordered him to pay a 1,000-dollar fine. More>>
• Mo. man says monk rape charge retaliation
  ST. LOUIS (UPI) -- A Missouri man facing an extortion charge is sticking by his allegations that a Roman Catholic monk exposed himself to him. Steven Gillispie, 45, told the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch that he made up a rape allegation only after the monk's order failed to pay him off over what Gillispie said was a flashing incident that actually took place. More>>
• Vatican to review security after Pope knocked down

Then there's the meaning of life and the search for it. It's about giving of yourself, saving the world, doing for others, communing with nature... All that is accomplished by becoming an activist participating in a great movement like saving the whales and the ocean.

Japanese whalers clash with militant activists
CANBERRA, Australia – Japanese whalers and militant conser-vationists have clashed in the Antarctic Ocean over two days, with weapons including water cannon, blinding lasers and bottles of rancid acid, both sides said Wednesday. (Slideshow: Whaling Controversy) Each accused the other of coming dangerously close during the clashes. Neither reported any injuries or ship damage. More>>

Pondering Nature, God, and Existence
(NYT) Mr. Douthat tells readers that in the absence of an “escape upward” from heartless Nature into the arms of a God willing to “take on flesh and come among us,” human existence is a tragedy. He further says that we are “beasts with self-consciousness” who “stand half inside the natural world and half outside it.” More>>

Scientists complete sequencing Tibetan antelope genome

Fluffy mystery at edge of Solar System solved
(SPACE.com) Our solar system is passing through a cloud of interstellar material that shouldn't be there, astronomers say. [Is it Xirbiru?] And now the decades-old Voyager spacecraft have helped solved the mystery. The cloud is called the "Local Fluff." It's about 30 light-years wide and holds a wispy mix of hydrogen and helium atoms, according to a NASA statement released today. Stars that exploded nearby, about 10 million years ago, should have crushed the Fluff or blown it away. So what's holding the Fluff in place? "Using data from Voyager, we have discovered... More>>

The vast Santanic conspiracy

Is St. Nick the tool of a plot too monstrous to mention? Could it be… SATAN?

Christian soldiers, marching as to war in the pitched battle for the meaning of Christmas, worry that Santa is a tool of the vast Satanic conspiracy. To be sure, the similarity of their names, identical but for one transposed letter, is provocative.... Could the Religious Wrong be right, just this once? Is Santa the Deceiver’s way of hijacking the Christ child’s birthday? Kriss Kringle is a corruption of the German dialectal Christkindl, “little Christ child.” Were Satan and Santa separated at birth? More>>

• 2nd Human Skull Found In Angeles National…
• Family, friends remember Brittany Murphy…
• DNA helps identify remains of Argentine "dirty war" victims

Women: In work, as in dating (video)

Healing a Broken Heart, 2012, Jobs, Punx

DharmaPunx inspired group takes Buddhist meditation to the former fringes of society and finds that much of the punk ethos rings true in the context of the Dharma.

Newest professions with big salaries
These 12 careers didn't exist until recently but many boast six-figure salaries. Emerging fields

Debate over ancient doomsday scenario
Mayans disagree with theories that their calendar predicts an apocalypse in 2012. Why some believe


Five ways to heal a broken heart
Disassociating songs, movies, and places from your ex is one way to get over a breakup. The No. 1 rule

Gold tops $1,000 an ounce

Johannesburg – The gold miners gather in front of the old Crown Gold Mines and begin a peculiarly South African form of protest. They dance, hoot horns, wave knob-kerry sticks, and generally appear to be having a fabulous time. But the joyous mood hides a serious problem. These workers are striking for a 13 percent salary increase. Food prices here are skyrocketing, and gold prices are hovering at more than $1,000 an ounce. More>>

Job cuts deal a blow to Social Security
For the first time in over 20 years, the agency will pay out more in benefits than it collects from workers. Effect

• Calculate your benefits
• Formula changing Jan. 1
• Common questions

Why they don't call back
Recruiters reveal why they don't even bother to contact many job appli-cants. "They're just not that into you"

Surprising jobs that pay $25 an hour
Many people overlook these careers that pay well and don't require advanced degrees. 7 to consider

• Make your boss love you
• Real work-at-home jobs
• Six-figure careers

New poll reveals surprising opinions
A recent U.S. poll reveals the nation's feelings on everything from Wal-Mart to Twitter. Clooney tops Obama

Meditation for Business People

Matt Eschler, LMFT

Reality is not nearly as important as what you tell yourself is true about reality (Matt Eschler)

Better Attitudes in the Workplace Before "The Matrix" became a movie phenomenon, the word matrix meant "a point of beginning." By definition a matrix is where something that constitutes the place or point from which something else originates, takes form, or develops.

We are continuously developing our psyche as well as our soul. As we develop these parts of our being, we are required to create mental focus. The more we focus on something -- whether it's math or auto racing or football or career paths -- the more that becomes our reality, the more it becomes written into the neural connections of our brains.

When we focus we generate ideas and develop paths to even more thoughts. In a sense we are shaping our brain as well as creating our future. We can literally sculpt our brain just as we'd sculpt our muscles if we went to the gym. This sculpting is referred to as neuroplasticity by neuropsychologists.

There are numerous ways and means to shape our brains. Meditation and prayer are very cost effective ways to create peace, focus, and life direction. Through the meditation process, or while engaging in prayer, we are really committing to a pattern of thoughts that will enhance our lives. More>>